Overwhelmverb | oh-ver-welmWhat It Means:
Overwhelm typically means "to overpower in thought or feeling" or "to overcome by superior force or numbers." It can also mean "to submerge; to cover over completely" or "to overturn or upset."
// The colorful sights, loud music, and large crowds overwhelmed her senses.
It comes from Middle English whelmen, meaning "to overturn," and overwhelm has always been more popular, perhaps because the emphatic redundancy of overwhelm makes it seem more apt for describing reactions to powerful forces or feelings.